Re: Transit Film Germany

Sorry - my bad linguistics - I meant to say 10 per year in the next 5 years
to start a collection and see if we can make it fly.
Barb
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jessica Rosner" <jrosner@kino.com>
To: "Multiple recipients of list" <videolib@library.berkeley.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2002 4:17 PM
Subject: Re: Transit Film Germany

>> >> > If a small public library was going to add ten silents to it's
collection> > for the next 5 years - what titles do you think they should add?> > Barb Read> > Marysville Public Library> >>> Barbara:> I could come up with a list and we could all debate it BUT I think it is
sad> that even a small library would only plan on ten silent films in 5 years (> two a year) Silent films get kind of a double whammy, first you have the> MASSIVE prejudice in libraries towards ANY non- print material and than> when libraries DO collect non-print material they seem to be under> heightened pressure to stick almost exclusively to "popular" stuff.> Basically if I told a library they could only buy two books of poetry per> year or two videos in a foreign language I assume they would be aghast but> this is pretty much how silent films are treated. Among the best silent> films ever made that HAVE been released legally on video are Von
Sternberg's> DOCKS OF NEW YORK, Murnau's FAUST, Vidor's SHOW PEOPLE, Reiniger's THE> ADVENTURES OF PRINCE ACHMED ( I picked this list since each film is under> copyright and released by a different company). How many people on this
list> have all of these in their collections? If not do you have ANY of the
above?> I would ESTIMATE that there are no more 600 good quality VHS/DVDs of
really> good silent films out there, there are maybe another 600 LEGAL copies of> either minor films or lesser quality ( No comment on the huge number of> bootleg silents) so you are not talking about a massive number of titles> from my admittedly obsessed point of view.>> If Public & University libraries adverted 10 silent films PER YEAR, ( and> did not all buy the same ten titles) it would undoubtedly make it possible> for many great silent films to be released that will otherwise languish
for> lack of interest.> Skip than 25th copy of HARRY POTTER and LORD OF THE RINGS and buy a silent> film. You might be opening a whole new world to your patrons> --> Jessica Rosner> Kino International> 333 W 39th St. 503> NY NY 10018> jrosner@kino.com>